ASP Westward

{{short description|Newspaper company in Houston, Texas, U.S.}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox company | name = ASP Westward | logo = | logo_caption = | logo_alt = | type = | industry = Newspaper | predecessor =  | founded =  | founder =  | defunct =  | fate = | successor =  | hq_location_city = | hq_location_country = | area_served =  | key_people = | products = | owner = 1013 Communications | num_employees = | num_employees_year =  | parent = Hearst Corporation | website =  }} [[File:ExaminerNewsGroupoffices.jpg|thumb|Houston Community Newspapers (ASP Westward) Examiner Newspaper Group/''The Rancher''/''Sugar Land Sun'' offices]] '''ASP Westward, L.P.''', or "Westward,"<ref>[http://aspwestward.com/ Home page] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20140517003940/http://aspwestward.com/ Archive]). ASP Westward. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.</ref> was a local newspaper company, headquartered in Greenspoint, Houston.<ref name="Map">"[http://www.greenspoint.org/ExportedSite/About_US/BoundaryMap.htm Boundary Map] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101019073249/http://www.greenspoint.org/ExportedSite/About_US/BoundaryMap.htm |date=2010-10-19 }}." ([http://www.greenspoint.org/Uploads/Boundary_Map_FULL.pdf Full map] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222031036/http://www.greenspoint.org/Uploads/Boundary_Map_FULL.pdf |date=December 22, 2014 }}) Greenspoint Management District. Retrieved on May 19, 2009.</ref><ref>"[https://www.google.com/finance/?cid=5932516 ASP Westward, L.P.]" Google Finance. Retrieved on April 14, 2014. "523 N. Sam Houston Pkwy E., Ste. 600 Houston, TX 77060 USA"</ref> It is owned by 1013 Communications of Reno, Nevada.<ref name=Connellyshake>Connelly, Richard. "[http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2012/08/houston_community_newspapers.php Surburban Shakeup: Houston Community Newspapers Sold to Nevada Chain]." ''Houston Press''. Tuesday August 28, 2012. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.</ref>

==Houston Community Newspapers== In Greater Houston ASP Westward did business as '''Houston Community Newspapers''' ('''HCN'''),<ref name=Zhengrages>Zheng, Zen T.C. "[http://blog.chron.com/fortbend/2008/03/legal-battle-against-local-media-outlets-rages-on/ Legal battle against local media outlets rages on] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304022802/http://blog.chron.com/fortbend/2008/03/legal-battle-against-local-media-outlets-rages-on/ |date=March 4, 2016 }}." ''Houston Chronicle''. March 14, 2008. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.</ref> operating a chain of 28 local newspapers.<ref name=Connellyshake/> This division was headquartered in Greenspoint, Houston.<ref>"[http://aspwestward.com/houston Houston] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729000509/http://aspwestward.com/houston |date=2013-07-29 }}." ASP Westward, L.P. Retrieved on April 14, 2014. "Houston Community Newspapers 523 N Sam Houston Parkway E, Suite 600 Houston, TX 77060"</ref> In 2016 the Hearst Corporation, the parent company of the ''Houston Chronicle'', acquired HCN.<ref name=Lewisac>{{cite web|author=Lewis, Al|url=http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/katy/news/article/Hearst-purchases-community-newspapers-across-9882614.php|title=Hearst purchases community newspapers across Houston’s suburbs|publisher=Katy Rancher at the Houston Chronicle|date=2016-07-29|accessdate=2017-01-22}}</ref>

HCN operated several newspapers based out of different offices. Its Southwest Office-Central had the operations of the ''West U Examiner'', ''River Oaks Examiner'', ''Bellaire Examiner'', ''Memorial Examiner'', ''The Rancher'' of Katy, and the ''Sugar Land Sun''. Its South Office-Clear Lake has the ''Bay Area Citizen'', ''Deer Park Broadcaster'', ''Friendswood Journal'', ''Pasadena Citizen'', and ''Pearland Journal''. Its Northeast Office - Humble had the operations of the ''Atascocita Observer'', the ''East Montgomery County Observer'', the ''Humble Observer'', the ''Kingwood Observer'', and the ''Lake Houston Observer''. The North Office - The Woodlands had operations of the ''Spring Observer'' and ''The Woodlands Observer''. The operations of ''The Courier'' were based out of the North Office-Conroe. The Northeast Office-Cleveland housed the operations of the ''Cleveland Advocate'', the ''Dayton News'', and the ''Easttex Advocate''. The Northwest Office - Tomball housed the operations of the ''Cypress Creek Mirror'', the ''Magnolia Potpourri'', and the ''Tomball Potpourri''. The ''Mirror'' had Cypress/Cy-Fair and Champions/Klein divisions.<ref>"[http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/app/pdf/2013HCNContact.pdf 2013 Contact Page]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20140630031123/http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/app/pdf/2013HCNContact.pdf Archive]). Houston Community Newspapers. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.</ref>

===HCN History=== In April 2006, prior to the purchase of the Examiner Newspaper Group, another local newspaper company, HCN had 31 newspapers.<ref name=AroundRegion>"[http://www.chron.com/business/article/AROUND-THE-REGION-1654998.php AROUND THE REGION]." ''Houston Chronicle''. April 29, 2006. Business. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.</ref> In 2006 George Boehme sold the Examiner Newspaper Group to ASP Westward,<ref name=Zhenglocsue>Zheng, Zen T.C. "[http://blog.chron.com/fortbend/2008/01/local-news-service-operator-sued/ Local news service operator sued]." ''Houston Chronicle''. January 16, 2008. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.</ref> for $2.1 million.<ref name=Zhengrages/> At the time, the purchase price was not disclosed.<ref name=AroundRegion/>

HCN hired Boehme as a regional publisher and he held this job for one year. In May 2007, Boehme stopped working for the company. He started InstantNewsNetwork.com Inc. weeks after he left HCN.<ref name=Zhengrages/> Boehme announced on January 7, 2008, that it would purchase FortBendNow.com Inc. from Bob Dunn. Later that month HCN announced that it was suing Boehme for violating non-soliciation and non-competition provisions of the purchase agreement.<ref name=Zhenglocsue/>

In 2006 the ''Houston Press'' ranked the ''Fort Bend/Southwest Sun'' the "Best Community Newspaper Houston 2006".<ref>"[http://www.houstonpress.com/bestof/2006/award/best-community-newspaper-198223/ Best Community Newspaper Houston 2006 - ''Fort Bend/Southwest Sun'']." ''Houston Press''. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.</ref>

In 2010 the ''Houston Press'' ranked the Examiner Newspaper Group division of the HCN the "Best Community Newspaper Houston 2010".<ref>"[http://www.houstonpress.com/bestof/2010/award/best-community-newspaper-2015256/ Best Community Newspaper Houston 2010 - Examiner Newspaper Group, Houston Community Newspapers]." ''Houston Press''. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.</ref>

1013 Communications, a Reno, Nevada company, acquired the company including the HCN group in 2012.<ref name=Connellyshake/> In 2016 the Hearst Corporation, the parent company of the ''Houston Chronicle'', acquired HCN.<ref name=Lewisac/> As part of the deal the ''Examiner'' papers became a part of the Hearst Corporation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/hearst-purchases-locally-focused-houston-community-newspapers-media-group-2146666.htm|title=Hearst Purchases Locally-Focused Houston Community Newspapers & Media Group at MarketWired|date=2016-07-29|accessdate=2017-01-22}}</ref>

Ray Biggerstaff was the publisher of ''The Woodlands Villager'' and ''The Courier'' from 2011 to 2013.<ref>{{cite web|author=Mikati, Massarah|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Ray-Biggerstaff-Woodlands-publisher-and-13487799.php|title=Ray Biggerstaff, Woodlands publisher and community leader, dies at 74|publisher=Houston Chronicle|date=2018-12-26|accessdate=2019-01-04}}</ref>

==East Texas Community Newspapers== In portions of East Texas ASP Westward did business as '''East Texas Community Newspapers''' (ETCN). This division was headquartered in Longview,<ref name=ECTNHome>"[http://aspwestward.com/east-texas East Texas] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729000422/http://aspwestward.com/east-texas |date=2013-07-29 }}." ASP Westward. Retrieved on April 14, 2014. "East Texas Community Newspapers 320 E. Methvin St. Longview, TX 75601"</ref> and before that, in Carthage.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20090125184631/http://aspwestward.com/etcn.html]." East Texas Community Newspapers. January 25, 2009. Retrieved on December 17, 2017. "East Texas Community Newspapers 109 West Panola Carthage, TX 75633"</ref>

As of 2014, the ETCN newspapers included:<ref name=ECTNHome/> * ''Longview News-Journal'' * ''The Marshall News Messenger'' * ''Mineola Monitor'' * ''Daingerfield Bee'' * ''Big Sandy & Hawkins Journal'' * ''Pittsburg Gazette'' * ''Gladewater Mirror'' * ''Atlanta Citizens Journal'' * ''Cass County Shopper'' * ''Panola Watchman'' * ''Panola County Shopper'' * ''Grand Saline Sun'' * ''Edgewood Enterprise'' * ''Wood County Democrat'' (Quitman) * ''Lindale News & Times'' * ''Bowie County Tribune'' (New Boston) * ''DeKalb News'' * ''Overton Press'' * ''Cass County Sun'' (Linden)

===ETCN history===

In June 2012 Texas Community Media LLC announced that it had agreed to purchase multiple newspapers from ASP Westward. These papers included the daily ''Longview News-Journal'', the ''Marshall News Messenger'', and twelve weekly newspapers. The weeklies included, the ''Atlanta Citizens Journal'', ''The Big Sandy & Hawkins Journal'', the ''Bowie County Citizens Tribune'', the ''Cass County Sun'', ''The Daingerfield Bee'', ''The Gladewater Mirror'', ''The Grand Saline Sun'', the ''Lindale News & Times'', the ''Mineola Monitor'', the ''Panola Watchman'', ''The Pittsburg Gazette'', and the ''Wood County Democrat''. The weekly and daily newspapers had a combined circulation of almost 300,000, with the ''News-Journal'' having an over 23,000 daily paid circulation.<ref>"[http://www.news-journal.com/panola/news/south-texas-company-buys-et-newspapers/article_8d5348dc-2776-5d2d-bcea-473ef264419a.html South Texas company buys ET newspapers]." ''The Panola Watchman''. Monday June 4, 2012. Retrieved on April 14, 2014.</ref>

==Colorado Community Newspapers== Colorado Community Newspapers was headquartered in Castle Rock and included: ''Castle Rock News-Press'', ''Centennial Citizen'', ''Douglas County News-Press'', ''Elbert County News'', ''Gleneagle/Black Forest'', ''Highlands Ranch Herald'', ''Littleton Independent'', ''Lone Tree Voice'', ''Parker Chronicle'', ''Pikes Peak Courier View'', ''Teller County Extra'', ''The Tribune/Monument'', and ''Tri-Lakes Tribune/Tri-Lakes''.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20090124015318/http://aspwestward.com/ccn.html Colorado Community Newspapers]." "Colorado Community Newspapers 125 Stephanie Place Castle Rock, CO 80109"</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/*/http://aspwestward.com|title=ASP Westward}} * {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/*/http://www.yourhoustonnews.com|title=Houston Community Newspapers}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110627085032/http://www.aspwestward.com/2011_distributionMap.pdf 2011 Distribution Map - Houston] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20121004070712/http://www.aspwestward.com/2011_distributionMap.pdf Archive]) * [https://web.archive.org/web/20091024165639/http://www.aspwestward.com/etcn_map.pdf 2011 Distribution Map - East Texas] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20150923175414/http://www.aspwestward.com/etcn_map.pdf Archive]) {{10/13_Communications}}

Category:Companies based in Houston Category:2006 mergers and acquisitions Category:Newspapers published in Texas Category:Mass media in Houston